Mutiple electric-light switch.



G. D. BROOKINS L J. G. VETTER.

MULTIPLE ELECTRIC LIGHT SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR.21, 1910.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

n 5 mn@ ww 'UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE,

GUY D. BROOKINS AND JOHN (I. VJGTTER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS Ol" ONE- THIRI) 'lO CLARENCE H. COLLINGS, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MULTIPLE ELECTRIC-LIGHT SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lutenteil lieb. 2l, ifl l.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it. known that. we, (luy l). Banouma and Jol-11N (l. Vn'rrmi, citizens o'l the United States, and rcsidei'its o'l (lleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga. and State ol Ohio, have invented a certain new and useiul lmprovemont in lVlultil'ile -Electric Light Switches, ot which the 'following is a tull, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is the provision of a simple electrical switch by n'ieans of which a. plurality ot electric light circuits` or any desired number of such circuits may be completed or broken at will.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the female member of the switch mechanism. Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly broken away of said switch mechanism. Fig. 3 is a central sectional View of said switch mechanism and an ordinary switch box in which it is secured. Fig'. et is a bottom yiew ot the male member of the switch.

The switch includes two relatirely rotatable members A and B. The latter has the term of a thin frustum of a cone; and the. former has a recess a :for the reception of the member B. It has also an external annular flange, a2, orthe reception of the screws F which pass through it from the rear side and screw into the plates C, C, C2 to fasten them in place. These plates extend across the front face of the member A, to which they are secured as stated, and are then bent into said' recess and into such shape and position that they furnish a conical support for the conical surface of the member B. The plates C and C are contact plates, and their outer edges are severally bent backward :tor the. reception of screws F' by means ot' which circuit. wires can be connected with them. It is intended thatI one of the end members, for example, G, of this series of contact plates, shall be connected with the ]eadingin-wire, and that all of the plates C shall be connected with leading out-wires which go to the several electric light circuits to be controlled. The two plates C2 have no electrical function but are merely employed yto complet-e the conical bearing' for the member B. These plates C, C are substantially equally spaced and the entire series should occupy'a space no greater than about one-half of the periphery of the recess. The

nnmbcr is also made oit insulating4 inalcrial, and it. has a lone' metallic contact. plate l) let. into its conical eflpje. This plate must be lonal enough to Contact. with and electrically con'l'iect all o'l the plates C, C and yet be so short that when the member B is turned to one position it. will noty connect plate C with any of the plates C.

The meml'ier A is to be connected by screws M to the back plate. ol the switch box rl`hc member B is provided with a stein L which projects imward tl'nfough the ren'iovable corer n of the switch box. A spi-ine' (i surrounds this stem, and thrusts againsty the switch box coter and the member B so as to hold the latter firmly against its bearing, furnished by the plates C, C', C2. The member B has a. cylindrical stem o on its rear end which enters a recess a." in the rear end of member A and thereby prevents displacement of the member B.

It is apparent that the switch member B may be turned so as to carry its contact plate D to the positions where it. will con tact. with and electrically connect'. the plate C with none or one or any number ol plates C, thereby breaking' all 'the lightcir cuits or completing as many thereof as desired.

Harina' thus described our intention`v we claim l. In a multiple switch, the coi'nl'iination of a switch member' A made of insulating material and haring' a recess a, and a. series of contact plates fixed to said member and bent back into said recess, with a frustoconical switch member B mounted to turn upon the bent back parts of said contact plates, and a Contact plate which is set into the conical edge ot the member B and is of auch arenal length that it may contact with all or any desired number of the contact plates first. mentioned.

2. ln a multiple switch, the combination ot a switch member A made of insulating' material and having' a. central recess and an external annular liangre, a. row of contact plates xed to the face of said member and having' their inner ends bent back into said recess, binding' screws carried by the outer ends of said Contact plates, and screws goinaforward through the flange. of the meniber A to connect the contact plates thereto, with a frusto-conical switch member B mounted to turn upon the bent back parts ula/1,034 

